Means for seeding through a center pivot irrigation system

Abstract

In this invention, a means is described for seeding through a self-propelled irrigation system. In one form of the invention, the seeds are metered into an auxiliary water line, supported on the main water line, and are sprinkled onto the ground by way of sequentially operated sprinklers. In another form of the invention, the seeds are metered directly into the main water line and are broadcast onto the ground by sequentially operated sprinklers.

We claim: 
     
       1. In combination, a self-propelled irrigation system comprising a primary water supply pipe supported by a plurality of spaced-apart drive towers adapted to move said primary water supply pipe over a predetermined area,   said primary water supply pipe being in operative communication with a source of water,   a plurality of spaced-apart first sprinklers on said primary water supply pipe for sprinkling water on said predetermined area as said primary water supply pipe is moved thereover,   means for pumping water through said primary water supply pipe to said first sprinklers,   an auxiliary water line means supported on said irrigation system and being in operative communication with a source of water under pressure,   means for pumping water through said auxiliary water line means,   said auxiliary water line means extending for substantially the entire length of said primary water supply pipe,   a plurality of spaced-apart second sprinklers on said auxiliary water line means for sprinkling the water in said auxiliary water line means on said predetermined area as said primary water supply pipe and said auxiliary water line means are moved over said predetermined area,   an actuator means operatively connected to each of said second sprinklers for actuating said second sprinklers at times,   a seed supply means adapted to supply seeds to be planted,   metering means in operative communication with said seed supply means and said auxiliary water line means for metering seeds from said seed supply means, at a predetermined rate, into the water passing through said auxiliary water line means whereby the seeds will be conveyed to said second sprinklers,   and control means operatively connected to said actuator means for selectively controlling said actuator means whereby the said second sprinklers will be selectively operated to sprinkle water and seeds therefrom, to achieve substantially uniform seed distribution on said predetermined area along the length of said auxiliary water line means as said primary water supply pipe and said auxiliary water line means are moved over said predetermined area.   
     
     
       2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said self-propelled irrigation system is of the center-pivot type and wherein said primary water supply pipe extends outwardly from a center-pivot. 
     
     
       3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said metering means includes a water tank means adapted to receive seeds from said seed supply means, said water tank means comprising a bottom wall with upstanding side walls, a vertically disposed hollow tube means positioned in said water tank means and having an open upper end which is in communication with said metering means so that the seeds are delivered to the interior of said tube means, said water tank means having a water inlet means in communication with a source of water under pressure whereby water will be supplied to the interior of said tank means, means for controlling the level of water in said water tank means, said tube means being in fluid communication with the water in said tank means, said tube means also being in fluid communication with said auxiliary water line means whereby said seeds delivered to said tube means will be supplied to said sprinklers on said auxiliary water line means. 
     
     
       4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said metering means is positioned below said seed supply means and above said tube means. 
     
     
       5. The combination of claim 3 wherein said metering means comprises a screw auger conveyor means having an inlet end and a discharge end, said inlet end being in operative communication with said seed supply means, said discharge end being in operative communication with the upper end of said tube means. 
     
     
       6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said screw auger conveyor means is powered by a variable speed motor. 
     
     
       7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said first sprinklers on said primary water supply pipe may be operated independently of said second sprinklers on said auxiliary water line means. 
     
     
       8. The combination of claim 1 wherein said self-propelled irrigation system is a linear-move irrigation system. 
     
     
       9. The combination of claim 1 wherein said actuator means is electrically controlled and wherein said means for controlling the operation of said actuator means comprises a programmable controller means for sequencing said second sprinklers on said auxiliary water line means. 
     
     
       10. In combination, a self-propelled irrigation system comprising a primary water supply pipe supported by a plurality of spaced-apart drive towers adapted to move said primary water supply pipe over a predetermined area,   said primary water supply pipe being in operative communication with a source of water,   a plurality of spaced-apart first sprinklers on said primary water supply pipe for sprinkling water on said predetermined area as said primary water supply pipe is moved thereover,   means for pumping water through said primary water supply pipe to said first sprinklers,   an actuator means operatively connected to each of said first sprinklers,   a seed supply means adapted to supply seeds to be planted,   metering means in operative communication with said seed supply means and said primary water supply pipe for metering seeds from said seed supply means, at a predetermined rate, into the water passing through said primary water supply pipe whereby the seeds to be planted will be conveyed to said first sprinklers,   and control means operatively connected to said actuator means for selectively controlling said actuator means whereby said first sprinklers will be selectively operated to sprinkle water and seeds therefrom, as said primary water supply pipe is moved over said predetermined area, to achieve substantially uniform seed distribution on said predetermined area along the length of said primary water supply pipe.   
     
     
       11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said self-propelled irrigation system is of the center-pivot type wherein said primary water supply pipe extends radially outwardly from a center-pivot point. 
     
     
       12. The combination of claim 10 wherein said means for controlling said sprinklers on said auxiliary water line means comprises a sequencing means for selectively operating each of said sprinklers for a predetermined length of time. 
     
     
       13. The combination of claim 10 wherein said metering means includes a water tank means adapted to receive seeds from said seed supply means, said water tank means comprising a bottom wall with upstanding side walls, a vertically disposed hollow tube means positioned in said water tank means having an open upper end which is in communication with said metering means so that the seeds are delivered to the interior of said tube means, said water tank means having a water inlet means in communication with a source of water under pressure whereby water will be supplied to the interior of said tank means, means for controlling the level of water in said water tank means, said tube means being in fluid communication with the water in said tank means, said tube means also being in fluid communication with said auxiliary water line means whereby said seeds delivered to said tube means will be supplied to said sprinklers on said auxiliary water line means. 
     
     
       14. The combination of claim 13 wherein said metering means including a screw auger conveyor means having an inlet end and a discharge end, said inlet end being in operative communication with said seed supply means, said discharge end being in operative communication with the upper end of said tube means. 
     
     
       15. The combination of claim 14 wherein said screw auger conveyor means is powered by a variable speed motor. 
     
     
       16. The combination of claim 10 wherein said self-propelled irrigation system is a linear-move irrigation system. 
     
     
       17. A self-propelled irrigation system comprising, a primary water supply pipe supported by a plurality of spaced-apart drive towers adapted to move said primary water supply pipe over a predetermined area,   said primary water supply pipe being in operative communication with a source of water,   a plurality of spaced-apart first sprinklers on said primary water supply pipe for sprinkling water on said predetermined area as said primary water supply pipe is moved thereover,   means for pumping water through said primary water supply pipe to said first sprinklers,   an auxiliary water line means supported on said irrigation system and being in operative communication with a source of water under pressure,   means for pumping water through said auxiliary water line means,   said auxiliary water line means extending for substantially the entire length of said primary water supply pipe,   a plurality of spaced-apart second sprinklers on said auxiliary water line means for sprinkling the water in said auxiliary water line means on said predetermined area as said primary water supply pipe and said auxiliary water line means are moved over said predetermined area,   an actuator means operatively connected to each of said second sprinklers for actuating said second sprinklers at times,   a seed supply means adapted to supply seeds to be planted,   metering means in operative communication with said seed supply means and said auxiliary water line means for metering seeds from said seed supply means, at a predetermined rate, into the water passing through said auxiliary water line means whereby the seeds will be conveyed to said second sprinklers,   and control means operatively connected to said actuator means for selectively controlling said actuator means whereby the said second sprinklers will be selectively operated to sprinkle water and seeds therefrom, to achieve substantially uniform seed distribution on said predetermined area along the length of said auxiliary water line means as said primary water supply pipe and said auxiliary water line means are moved over said predetermined area,   said metering means including a water tank means adapted to receive seeds from said seed supply means,   said water tank means comprising a bottom wall with upstanding side walls,   a vertically disposed hollow tube means positioned in said water tank means and having an open upper end which is in communication with said metering means so that the seeds are delivered to the interior of said tube means,   said water tank means having a water inlet means in communication with a source of water under pressure whereby water will be supplied to the interior of said tank means,   means for controlling the level of water in said water tank means,   said tube means being in fluid communication with the water in said tank means,   said tube means also being in fluid communication with said auxiliary water line means whereby said seeds delivered to said tube means will be supplied to said sprinklers on said auxiliary water line means,   said tube means having openings formed therein below its upper end in communication with the water in said water tank means so that water in said water tank means may enter said tube means.   
     
     
       18. The combination of claim 17 wherein said openings are offset from the longitudinal axis of said tube means to create a vortex effect in said tube means. 
     
     
       19. In combination, a self-propelled irrigation system comprising a primary water supply pipe supported by a plurality of spaced-apart drive towers adapted to move said primary water supply pipe over a predetermined area,   said primary water supply pipe being in operative communication with a source of water,   a plurality of spaced-apart first sprinklers on said primary water supply pipe for sprinkling water on said predetermined area as said primary water supply pipe is moved thereover,   means for pumping water through said primary water supply pipe to said first sprinklers,   an actuator means operatively connected to each of said first sprinklers,   a seed supply means adapted to supply seeds to be planted,   metering means in operative communication with said seed supply means and said primary water supply pipe for metering seeds from said seed supply means, at a predetermined rate, into the water passing through said primary water supply pipe whereby the seeds to be planted will be conveyed to said first sprinklers,   and control means operatively connected to said actuator means for selectively controlling said actuator means whereby said first sprinklers will be selectively operated to sprinkle water and seeds therefrom, as said primary water supply pipe is moved over said predetermined area, to achieve substantially uniform seed distribution on said predetermined area along the length of said primary water supply pipe,   said metering means including a water tank means adapted to receive seeds from said seed supply means,   said water tank means comprising a bottom wall with upstanding side walls,   a vertically disposed hollow tube means positioned in said water tank means and having an open upper end which is in communication with said metering means so that the seeds are delivered to the interior of said tube means,   said water tank means having a water inlet means in communication with a source of water under pressure whereby water will be supplied to the interior of said tank means,   means for controlling the level of water in said water tank means,   said tube means being in fluid communication with the water in said tank means,   said tube means also being in fluid communication with said auxiliary water line means whereby said seeds delivered to said tube means will be supplied to said sprinklers on said auxiliary water line means,   said tube means having openings formed therein below its upper end in communication with the water in said water tank means so that water in said water tank means may enter said tube means, said water supply pipe being in communication with said tube means below said openings.   
     
     
       20. The combination of claim 19 wherein said openings are offset from the longitudinal axis of said tube means to create a vortex effect in said tube means.